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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151783">Bait</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesyycake/pseuds/cheesyycake'>cheesyycake</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A lot - Freeform, Badass Mike, Blood, Hawkins Lab, He does cut his own hand but it’s for luring purposes, M/M, Mike gets hurt, Mike’s in the upside down, Other, Takes place sometime during season 4, The Upside Down, a bit violent, el’s void, hes okay though, its all part of his plan, just an imagine, mike and lucas angst and fluff in chapter 2, mike is gonna be much better next chapter dont worry, mike wheeler vs the demogorgon, season 4, since the demogorgon is a shark basically, the next chapter will be a lot less tense I promise, you know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:21:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151783</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesyycake/pseuds/cheesyycake</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Party knows that they must find a way to attack The Demogorgon without risking the lives of Hawkins. So, Mike Wheeler creates a plan to do just that. </p><p>The plan is simple:<br/>1. Mike acts as bait, going into the upside down through one of the remaining gates connected through the trees of Hawkins.<br/>2. Eleven must follow Mike in her void as he searches for the monster.<br/>3. Once the monster is found, she fights, keeping herself safe while coming in contact with the monster.<br/>4. Mike makes it back unharmed with The Demogorgon at a disadvantage.</p><p>Sounds easy enough, right?</p><p>It does sound easy, until it’s not.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lucas Sinclair/Mike Wheeler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bait</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good luck in there, Mike,” Lucas says as he gives his friend a rough pat on the shoulder.<br/>
Mike was loaded with various gear that he was prepared to use if he were to encounter the monster ahead of him. His face was wrapped in a red cloth to protect him from the toxic air that polluted the Upside Down, as well as goggles to keep his eyes clear from its particles. Mike had a backpack on, loaded with his supercom, a flashlight, and a rusty fireplace rod as a weapon, barely sticking out. </p><p>The plan was simple: El enters the void, following Mike around as he seeks out the demogorgon. Once the creature is in her sight, she takes it out then and there. Mike is bait, but he won’t get hurt as long as El does her part. They had a feeling it would work considering she was able to physically interact with the beings that lived in this alternate world while in the void. </p><p>“If the plan fails,” Dustin re-explains to Mike, “You run straight back to this tree and get the hell out of there. This tiny gate should still be open, we’ll make sure of it. Do not get yourself killed in there, Wheeler.”</p><p>Mike raises his arms a bit, “I won’t, I won’t. El’s gonna be keeping a close watch on me while I’m in there. Max should call you through the supercoms if something goes wrong.”</p><p>Lucas hated this plan. He thought it was incredibly risky from the moment it came out of Mike’s mouth. Yes, Mike. He came up with it, as he usually does. And of course he was going to be playing bait, there was no way he was going to allow anyone else to play that role besides him. Lucas had told him numerous times to be careful, and Mike would acknowledge every sentiment, but would never rethink his placement in the plan. </p><p>“I’ll be right back,” Mike says to Lucas and Dustin right before squeezing himself through the sticky gate of the tree stump. </p><p>As he exits his own world, Lucas peers at Dustin with concern.</p><p>“He’s gonna be okay, Sinclair. He’s in good hands,” Dustin smiled.</p><p>Lucas sighs, “Let’s hope.”</p><p>-</p><p>Mike immediately feels heavy as he enters the cold, bluish land. He sits himself up to stand after wiping gunk from his pants and sleeves. “Cool,” he groans, “God, I’m already nauseous.”</p><p>The boy looks around and feels a sense of familiarity cloud over him. He’s been here before, well, sort of. The tunnels under Hawkins. He was never so sure if those tunnels were technically the Upside Down or not. Whatever place it resides, it was an awful lot like what he was seeing now. Only this was a lot more open. It wasn’t the compressed hug that the tunnels evoked. No, this was just Hawkins. It was home. </p><p>But it wasn’t. It was, and it wasn’t. This was a direct copy of what he holds comfort for. It was an evil, horrific copy that made him feel isolated and lonely. He had to push that loneliness to the back of his mind, though, for he knew Eleven was most likely standing right next to him in her void. </p><p>He whispered to his side, “You’re there, El, right? You’re gonna look out for me while I’m down here? I can’t say for sure if this is going to work, but I believe in you. You said you could do it, and I won’t doubt you. I never did.”</p><p>Mike begins to walk through the groggy forest plain with his flashlight beaming in front of him. The trees towered over him, emitting looming shadows. He knew he was fairly close to his own home. Perhaps he could go there to explore a bit? As fun as that sounded, he had to stick to the plan. Hawkins Lab is a hot spot for the demogorgon, at least that’s his own hypothesis. It was worth a shot. It was a good thing that he was even closer to that lab than the street he lived on.</p><p>He makes it to a road. Right across from it is the lab itself. It was dark and barren, just like it is in his own reality. “It looks even creepier here than it does up there, doesn’t it, El?” He found talking to El made him feel much better being down here all by himself. However, he knew he wasn’t by himself here either. That monster was somewhere. It was out there, and it knew it wasn’t alone either.</p><p>-</p><p>Mike let’s out a harsh cough as he enters the Lab’s doors. The stuffy air was so much thicker than it was in his world. He felt as though layers of gunk were accumulating in his throat. He had to constantly clear it and spit it out. The mask helped, but not by a lot. Not only that, but his goggles were fogging up. He ended up removing them and stuffing them into his backpack in the meantime. It was completely throwing off his sight.</p><p>“Alright,” Mike sighs as he clicks on the flashlight once more, “Where are you, you big asshole.”</p><p>The last time he was in the Lab was in ‘84. He was merely in eighth grade when he last exited this place. He left traumatized, to leave it as an understatement. He only remembers rushing through the dark hallways that were swarmed with dead bodies of scientists. The blaring alarms rung through his head as his best friend, who didn’t even remember him anymore, was trying to kill them all. Knowing that at any second, one of those dogs could pounce on him from behind and devour him and those he loves with those gnarly rows of teeth. </p><p>All because he couldn’t warn them in time.</p><p>“No,” Mike talks to himself as that horrid memory re-enters his mind, “It wasn’t your fault. You know that now.”</p><p>However, as he walks through these halls once again, after two long years, he finds that there’s no bodies to be seen. He assumes that the government must have had a mean cleaning since the Lab’s been abandoned. He ranted to Lucas about it one night when he was particularly emotional.</p><p>“They should have burnt that lab to the ground!” he remembers shouting, “They should have plummeted that son of a bitch and close that section off for the rest of this planet’s goddamn life!” </p><p>Mike hates thinking back on stuff like that. He doesn’t like being emotional, especially in front of his friends. But he just can’t help it sometimes. After Will and El left, Lucas was really the only person willing to let him talk about the things that bothered him.</p><p>-</p><p>He eventually made it to one of the lab rooms. He did not want to know the horrors that went on in there, but the dangling chains told him enough. “I hate this place,” he says, “I know you did too, El. I’m sorry for all they did to you.”</p><p>He searched nearly every room of the facility. There were no signs of the beast at all. There were the occasional roars and groans in the distance that he would hear, and upon hearing them, he would hide himself behind the corner. Nothing would come, though. </p><p>Mike was clearly growing more and more impatient as time went on without any luck of seeing the demogorgon. He didn’t want to be in there any longer than he had to. Some of the gunk growing in his throat would accidentally be swallowed. This only made his stomach hurt, and the nausea got worse. </p><p>“If I stay in here for a little while more, I’m surely gonna throw up.”</p><p>The boy got an idea, though. Something that had to work. Blood. Blood attracts the demogorgon. It’s like a shark, it could smell blood from miles away. He just had to get himself to bleed in order to attract that thing.</p><p>Mike did not like that he had to do this, but if it meant progressing t    he plan, he was willing to do anything. Mike found a broken piece of glass in one of the lab’s rooms, and he closed his eyes tightly. “Shit- okay, just quick, like a bandaid!” He cut the palm of his hand in a quick slash, grunting in pain as he did so. Sure enough, he was bleeding alright. </p><p>Quickly, Mike took some of the bandage from his backpack pocket, and wrapped it around his hand to patch himself up. “I think Nancy did this once,” he whispers, “Wait till I show her this nasty scar- the same one she has.”</p><p>Now he was playing the waiting game.</p><p>-</p><p>“It’s near,” Mike says in a hushed tone, “It’s got to be. Are you still there, El? Are you ready?” He was sitting against the wall of the testing room. There was a window nearby that he knew he could escape through if things were to go south. He made sure to be on the first floor, of course. He can’t be doing anything stupid down here.</p><p>“El, maybe it’s in the Upside Down version of Florida or something. Somewhere far away. Maybe it died from starvation or it hibernates during the spring time. Or- the Upside Down version of spring time. You know, since it hates the heat? I don’t think it gets warm here, though. Like, it’s cold here during spring and summer, and even colder during fall and winter. I don’t know, I honestly don’t know.”</p><p>With his legs to his chest, he uses his thumb to gently rub the bandages on the palm of his hand. He cut his left hand, of course. If he had to fight that thing, it would be better to not feel pain in the hand he’s battling with. He made sure that wouldn’t happen, though. This plan had to have worked. It had to.</p><p>-<br/>
A loud crash echoed through the first floor of the laboratory. Mike grew alert as his head rose from his knees. Eyes wide, he realizes that now he truly wasn’t alone. The cry of the demogorgon made that very clear. Mike got to his feet slowly, eyeing the open window to ready himself for escape. </p><p>“You did it, Wheeler,” Mike shutters to himself, “El, I really hope you can do this.”</p><p>Was Mike scared? Of course he was. He was petrified, actually. But he wasn’t going to let that alter this plan. This had to be done one way or another. No matter the outcome, he had to face this beast whether he liked it or not. He could hear it crawling down the hallway, it’s footsteps sounded wet against the floor. He hesitated on taking in a deep breath considering how horrid the air around him felt in his chest. </p><p>As soon as the creature perked its head around the corner, Mike’s heart spiked throughout his entire body. The first thought that came to his mind was to run; was to escape through the window. But he knew he couldn’t, not yet. He had to give El time to attack. </p><p>The creature stormed into the room, and after getting on all fours, leaped at the boy with its face fully tuliped outward. Mike gasped deeply as he jumped out of its way. </p><p>“Holy shit!” Mike cried as he landed into a metallic table. Zipping his head around to face the demogorgon, Mike shouts alarmingly, “El, you’re open! Now’s your chance!”</p><p>Despite his urgent demand, the demogorgon quickly recovered, and threw a claw at Mike. The boy ducked just in time, completely avoiding the sharp grip grasping just above his head. He was surprising himself. Never would he have though he’d actually get this far. This also concerned him. El should have stopped the monster by now. What was keeping her from doing that? Did Mike really have no choice but to fight this thing?</p><p>He had a clear shot to the window, and he wasn’t going to let that chance slip. Kicking off the marble floor, Mike dashes to the open window just across the room. His arms were flailing towards the window sill as he jumped up into it. He looked back only for a second, seeing the demogorgon about to run towards him again. Mike threw himself from the window, and landed with his feet onto the grass below.</p><p>“I need to get back,” Mike says in a hushed tone as he begins to dart in the direction of the forest. Did the plan completely blow up in his face? Where was El? What was going on up there?</p><p>It was a pain running on this grass. Mike found himself face first onto the ground as the slimes substance caused his ankles to slip. He eagerly removed his face mask as it was already soaked with the moist grog. It was pointless to wear it anymore. Mike clumsily got himself back up, already running before he was completely standing. He knew that the monster was on his trail now. He heard it emerge outside the lab merely a few seconds ago. And those things run fast. He had to give everything he got to run faster. </p><p>Unfortunately, Mike was not the athletic type. His scrawny legs were not able to outrun a racing demogorgon. </p><p>Mike felt his body get light, and he was suddenly lifted off the ground. His right leg felt as though thousands of needles were going into him at once. His head rushed upside down, as did his body, still dangling in the air. The demogorgon had caught him by the leg with its mouth, holding him up to his thigh with its teeth. Mike yelped in pain as the sharp teeth in his thigh sank deeper with every struggling jostle he made. </p><p>Where the hell is Eleven!?</p><p>“Let go!” Mike cries, “You piece of shit, let go of my leg!”</p><p>He didn’t know what to do. The monster made sure to hold his arms so he couldn’t reach for his weapon. He was defenseless, absolutely defenseless. Hot tears were begging to flood over his cheeks. The demogorgon’s jaw was locked. He wasn’t going anywhere. “El!” Mike shouts, “Eleven! Eleven, help me! El! Where are you!?”</p><p>Mike realizes quickly that he has a free leg. That was his only way out of this. He had to use it in some form of defense or else he was going to get devoured. Mike lifted his free leg to his belly, and with all the remaining strength in his body, shoved the heel of his foot into the monster’s neck. His goal was to choke the beast, or at least catch it off guard. </p><p>The demogorgon grunted painfully as it released Mike’s leg, coughing quickly afterwards. Mike fell, and landed heavily on the hard ground. He landed poorly, however, as he immediately discovered that the fall popped his right shoulder out of place.</p><p>“Dammit…” Mike shakily sighs. He looked up at the monster as it was still having a coughing fit, gripping at its throat. Mike got ahold on his shoulder, and with a tremble, got on his two feet. </p><p>With the demogorgon distracted, Mike had to find a place to catch his breath. Fast.</p><p>He spotted a drain pipe he could crawl in. It was the right size, big enough for him to huddle in, small enough for the demogorgon to be kept out. Mike made an effort to stumble his way over to it. Right now, it was his only option. </p><p>Mike managed to crawl into the pipe, and tucked himself so he had room to sit. He watched as the monster turned towards him. It growls, and prances quickly over to the pipe. Mike shifted himself further into the pipe in a desperate attempt to get away from it. Only it’s face could fit through the pipe. It’s barked and snapped at Mike, but the boy was far enough away that it wasn’t harming him. He could feel it’s hot breath on him.</p><p>“Fuck off,” Mike groans with tears finally rolling down his face.</p><p>His leg was practically numb at this point. Blood was rushing down from it, and he knew he needed to get out of this place as soon as possible before it got any worse. His arm wasn’t doing him any wonders either. The shoulder that got moved out of socket was incredibly uncomfortable. He could barely move it without it shooting a sharp pain through his body. </p><p>“El,” Mike sighs, “El, what’s going on? You said you could do it, why aren’t you? Please, El, I need you right now.”</p><p>Mike does what he can to take deep breaths. There wasn’t much grog in the air in the small pipe, so he found that he could get some much needed breathing exercises to prepare him to run again. His skin felt slippery, as did his hair. Strings of the slime were already sticking in his black locks. Just feeling his skin would leave his fingertips covered in the disgusting, fuzzy texture. </p><p>He lets out a watery sob, “What am I supposed to do!?”</p><p>Mike hears a voice in the distance. Two voices, actually. Lucas and Dustin. They were calling for him. Were their voices coming through to him from his world?</p><p>“Lucas,” Mike cries, “Dustin.” He was rubbing his eyes, his heart pounding in fear and the remorse of coming up with this plan in the first place. He desperately wanted to see those two again.</p><p>They were shouting, “Mike! Mike, get out of there! Mike! Mike, Eleven is compromised! Get the hell out of there!”</p><p>Mike peers at the demogorgon, who was still trying to bite at him through the pipe. He had to get out. He had to do anything to get out. His friends were waiting for him. </p><p>The boy sucks in through his nose, a scowl on his face, and takes the fireplace rod from his backpack. “Get out of my way,” Mike growls as he plunges it into the creature's mouth, moving it and him forward until he exits the pipe. His arm feels stiff, and his leg feels like it’s on fire, but he can’t stop now. His life was very much on the line, and he wasn’t going to let it go. </p><p>The demogorgon shrieks as it uses its two hands to desperately remove the spear from its throat. As Mike backs up, he swipes the monster with the spike in one quick motion. He got it good, causing a wound on its chest. He had to hurt it in order to get any sort of head start towards the gate he emerged from. </p><p>“Okay,” Mike shakily laughs, “Since El can’t do anything to you, I will. Get your ass over here!”</p><p>Every step he took on his bad leg made him wince. He must endure it, just for a little while more. There was no room for rest. The demogorgon kicked Mike to the ground, but as Mike looked up, he used the rod to hit its incoming arms away. He had to get to his feet, but the demogorgon was growing antsy.</p><p>As Mike looked up, he saw the widespread mouth of the best inches from his face. Mike gasps, quickly moving his hands up to its mouth to keep it from biting into him. He held onto its teeth, pushing it away as hard as he could. </p><p>“God- you’re- s-so… annoying!” Mike grunts out as he struggles to keep the beast’s mouth away. Mike brings his good foot up to its mouth, allowing one of his arms to become free. Mike quickly clamps the rod once again, and strikes the demogorgon in its mouth a second time. </p><p>Now he has a choice: remove the rod and keep fighting to find a better opportunity to strike, or don’t remove the rod and keep the monster busy as he makes a run for the gate. Only downfall is he would lose the only weapon he has if the second option backfired. However, the second option sounded better to him. It was a risk he was willing to take in order to survive.</p><p>Mike crammed the rod into the monster as far as he possibly could, and let go of the handle. He got to his feet, and dashed away while the monster attempted to get the rod out of its mouth. Mike followed the voices of Lucas and Dustin, using them as a path right back to the gate. “I’m almost there!” Mike shouts, hoping they can hear him, too. </p><p>His face lights up as he sees the glowing tree in front of him. It was the gate. Finally, he was at the gate he came from. Mike sprinted to the gate, and dove into the exit as quick as he could. Mike’s eyes were shut tight as he did so, but as soon as he felt the hand of Lucas wrap around his arm, instant relief overcame him. Someone had him. Someone human was there. Lucas.</p><p>He was back in his world.</p><p>“Mike! Holy shit, are you okay!?” Dustin shouts as the two boys pull him out from the tree trunk. The gate slowly closes itself up.</p><p>Lucas cries out, “Mike, oh my god, you’re here! We got you, man.”</p><p>Mike, on the ground, sucks in a deep breath. Fresh air. The ground wasn’t slimes anymore. He was in the arms of his friends. </p><p>He was safe. </p><p>But he needed answers.</p>
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